This is coolbert: Last weekend the Chicago Tribune ran an article about the photo of the prisoner in Abu Ghraib prisoner balancing on a bucket. This man was apparently naked, except clothed in a sheet used as a robe. And he was hooded. Otherwise naked. And in either hand he had a wire. And he had been evidently told that if he fell off the upside down bucket, he would be electrocuted. Well, this was not true to begin with. The wires were not connected to anything! He may have believed he would be electrocuted, but in actuality, he would not have been. The wires were not connected to allow current to flow.

Now, this picture has been seen all over the world. Has become a popular anti-war poster. And it does pose a terrible picture. This is not the sort of mistreatment that the U.S. military is supposed to do. And the symbolic nature of the treatment was touched upon in this Chicago Tribune article. How the figure in the photo is assuming a Christ like figure reminiscent of what Jesus went through, arms outstretched as if nailed to a cross. Resembles a crucified figure on the cross. This is what the author of the article, an art professor said. And again, the photo does not pose a pretty picture of U.S. treatment of Iraqi prisoners. Certainly not.

But what about the Christ like figure? Well, here is another series of Christ like figures that the art professor should consider. And so much closer to home too. During the Korean War, here is the treatment that was meted out to captured U.S. soldiers by both the North Koreans and the Chinese Communists. The captured GI would be stripped, and tied as if he was actually being crucified. The captors of the GI would then begin to slowly dismember the GI, cutting off ears, nose, lips, etc. Then proceed to private parts being severed, and then the climax, which was having the belly cut in such a manner that the internal organs of the GI would spill out in front of him. This unfortunate GI would then be left to die, all this time still living!? Now, that is a real Christ like figure for the professor to behold. But then, no pictures were taken of these mutilations and murders, or was it publicized at the time, so I guess no photo, no incident, no article in the Chicago Tribune?

And even more recently, there are reports from the two wars between the Russians and the separatist Chechnyans that Russian soldiers captured by the Chechnyans were subjected to death by crucifixion. Now, I am not saying figuratively here. I am saying literally. A way by which the Muslim captor both executes and mocks his captive. Demonstrating his hate for him in the worst possible way. Such is what happens in war.

coolbert.